Dr. Sabitu Shanono, the Director-General (DG), Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KSACA) says over 35,000 HIV patients are currently receiving treatments in the state.
The DG disclosed this at a workshop for journalists, as part of World AIDS Day commemoration on Tuesday in Kano.
“We are still looking for more by ensuring that the test is free and those that show they are positive are also placed on drugs,” the DG added.
Shanono explained that the prevalence rate of HIV infection had dropped from 25 per cent to 0.5% in Kano State.
He explained that, “The essence of organising this workshop is very clear.
“The role of the media is indispensable towards the fight against AIDS. In this year’s celebration, we have achieved a lot and the media has contributed a lot to the achievement.
“We feel that the media has a great role to play in HIV response.
“That is why we decided to organise this workshop to reequip the journalists in their reportage of HIV and see how we can improve on the information we give out to the community.
“The kind of information that we disseminate and how effective it is to change the behavior of the people,” he said.
According to him, one of their targets is to enlighten the public; and to ensure that by 2030, there will be no new cases.
Earlier in a remark, the State Commissioner for Information, Malam Mohammed Garba, reaffirmed the commitment of the government to provide necessary facilities needed by HIV patients and the general public.
Garba said that the state government was fully committed to ensuring total eradication of HIV/AIDS, pointing out that the seminar was timely as journalists play a vital role in the development of every society.
